50K

Course Description

50k
The Run the Red 50k is a point-to-point course, starting at the spectacular Whitehorse Creek Overlook (42.29704757326179, -108.87126786544586), right at the boundary of the dramatic scenery of the Whitehorse Creek Wilderness Study Area. Runners and their crew will need to park on the right side of the Oregon Buttes Road, and then walk the 0.4 miles along a two-track dirt road to the starting line. From the Whitehorse Creek Overlook, runners will traverse across the canyon rim, and then cross a small valley before ascending and looping around Pacific Butte. On Pacific Butte runners will enjoy enormous views of Oregon Buttes, the Wind River Mountains, and vast expanses of the northern Red Desert. After traversing all the way around Pacific Butte, runners will descend to a valley and then properly onto the Oregon National Historic Trail, where they will run up and over the original South Pass. After passing the historical marker (and a couple of headstones!) runners will make their way over to the Sweetwater River where they will cross a small footbridge and a short stretch of water (expect to get feet at least a little bit wet here). After crossing the Sweetwater River, runners will begin the gentle, but steady, climb up towards the craggy Fish Creek granite domes and the Ironhorse Aid Station. Rock hopping through the Fish Creek granite domes will give way to more dirt two-track running before dropping into the Willow Creek Drainage and South Pass City Historic Site. The large Carissa Mine will loom large in the distance, and runners will run past numerous smaller and historic mining sites as they wrap their way around Willow Creek to the finish line in South Pass City.

This is a new race course for 2025!

Elevation Profile

• Gain/Loss: 2,362 feet

• High Point: 8,084 feet

• Low Point: 7,348 feet

• Average Elevation: 7,699 feet

Aid Stations